Architect visits Granada Theater

By SHANNA SISSOM | Herald Managing Editor

Published 10:41 am, Saturday, April 6, 2013

Photo: Shanna Sissom/Plainview Herald

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Ryan Smith, president of Stars and Stripes Drive-in Theatre of Lubbock, Darryl Holland, owner of the Granada Theater and architect Killis Almond of San Antonio are seen in front of the concession stand inside the Granada. Holland brought the men in as consultants on Thursday, as he is currently working on a business model for future use of the 1929-built landmark. Holland hired local workers to clean out the theater in recent weeks and had the electricity turned on for the first time in 15 years. less

Ryan Smith, president of Stars and Stripes Drive-in Theatre of Lubbock, Darryl Holland, owner of the Granada Theater and architect Killis Almond of San Antonio are seen in front of the concession stand inside ... more

Photo: Shanna Sissom/Plainview Herald

Architect visits Granada Theater

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A renowned architect specializing in rehabilitating historic theaters came to Plainview for the first time on Thursday as a consultant for efforts to restore the Granada.

He also offered an outsider’s view from his own observations about the downtown area.

“I love this city, and I’ve never been here before,” said Killis Almond of Killis Almond Architects P.C. of San Antonio. He also liked the brick streets. “There’s a lot of quality architecture here.”

Sitting at the Broadway Brew, Almond pointed at the historic building at 701 Broadway, the old Skaggs building.

Looking around downtown, he also noticed the number of vacant buildings.

“Every one of these vacant buildings have the same problem; there isn’t a business plan to make that building viable.”

Among those vacant buildings was the one Almond came to town to see, the historic Granada Theater.

The theater’s owner, Darryl Holland, brought him and Ryan Smith, president of Stars and Stripes Drive-in Theatre of Lubbock, as consultants.

“He’s got to decide what he can put in that building and charge enough for, that people will show up en masse,” Almond said. “The rehabilitation of a building is a byproduct of the activity that goes on inside the building.”

When speaking about the Granada, Almond uses the words “rehabilitation” or “rebirth” rather than “restoration,” explaining there’s nothing left to restore since it has been gutted.

Electricity had been hooked up earlier in the week, allowing for a better view of the interior. As Holland noted, that was the first time those lights had been on in 15 years.

“It was really a neat experience just to see the lights on, and it put you in a moment of realizing this really is in front of us, and we can do this.”

Holland purchased the 1929-built theater last summer with plans to restore it to its former splendor. There have been some snags along the way, including a disappointing online incentive-based fundraiser. He also previously reconsidered the project in the wake of economic conditions anticipated with the loss of Plainview’s largest employer.

But Holland recently decided plans were back on, and he hired a local construction crew to rip up remaining carpet and clean the inside. Also gone are the numerous pigeon carcasses and skeletons seen throughout the building when he first bought it.

While Holland has said he intends to invest his own money in the project, just how much it will take to put the Granada back in business is anyone’s guess.

“There’s no way to guess, it’s an unknown,” Almond said. “It’ll cost more than you think, and it’ll take longer than you think.”

Holland is headed to a Las Vegas convention, Cinema Com, later this month where he hopes to get more ideas as he figures out his ultimate business plan.

Regardless, Holland believes a reopened Granada will go far in efforts to revitalize downtown. On this point, the consultant wholeheartedly agreed.

“Every historic building that has been rebirthed has a rebirthed area around them,” Almond said.